The set

Guest writer, Oscar Phipps, from Dimboola spends an afternoon at the local hairdressers and learns more than what a set is.

A blonde with a sculptured teased mass of hair with a large white flower perched on the side stares back at me through smoky distant eyes. Next to her, near the small metallic desk, three women each with more colourful and wild hairdos than the next also give a wide-eyed stare to anyone that enters this small hairdressing salon.

"Always gotta have a smile on your face, I couldn't deal with it"

Looking beyond these posters, Maureen talks with the staff as they add another roller to the spine of yellow atop her head. Each roller is tied up with a small row of hair; a black net then covers it.

Eventually she sits alone silently drinking a glass of water while a large arm extends from the top of the wall with a big semi sphere attached. It hovers over her head, slowly drying her recently styled hair. Finally finished, she looks into the mirror smiling as Kaylene begins spraying, setting her hair in place. She eventually gets up.

“Have a good day!"

The salon is a simple rectangular building with each wall made of brick. One side of the building is lined with polished planks, and on the other side sits a row of small and tall chairs, some empty, some with customers getting their hair done, and some waiting their turn. They sit surrounded by stacked shelves filled with multi-coloured bottles and black equipment. In front of them, the customers stare into the mirrors that sit upon the black metal and glass tables.

"I’m normally just in for a trim then I’m out”

The salon is the center for news, gossip and local politics. Even the occasional journalist strolls in looking for a story. The owner Kaylene is active in the community: the town committee, the local council, the local business association and all the raffles that accompany them.

But talk is cut short when the sound of the loud hair dryer begins to fill the air. Eventually the customer leaves the seat, only for the seat to be filled again with a new customer.

“It was so cold yesterday, first time I haven’t had my air conditioning in months”

Towards the end of the saloon, an old woman lies down peacefully on a large tilting black chair. Young Kirralee begins roughly spraying her hair with a small shower head, then begins massaging shampoo and other hair product into her hair, creating a mass of white soap.